Video Referral in Football
Should there be video referral in football?
It is a question that is occupying the cerebral space of every football lover. And the evidence supporting the start of such a practice seems to be so many. Goals disallowed, handballs missed, yellow and red cards wrongly given missing occasions to give them, fouls missed are happening with too much frequency to be palatable. Who can forget the handball of Thierre Henry which plunged an entire nation into mourning for days altogether and the guilty himself not being sure as to what reaction he should give- from downright defiance to apology. Or the red card of Kaka who was only trying to protect himself from an onrushing defender. The hand of God of Maradona has become a part of footballing folklore. Every mistake or error of judgment by the referee or every act of cheating by a player invites wrath and indignation of thousands of fans. People who just have passing interest in the game bemoan the falling standards of ethics and probity and sense of fair play.
But is this all? Are these reasons sufficient to call for video referral. In other words what will change if the changes are introduced in the game. Of course the percentage of right decisions will increase the most blatant errors will be eliminated and the deliberate offenders like Henry and Maradona will be caught and possibly punished. But what it will do to the beautiful game itself? The example of other sports where video referrals have been put in place should be an eye opener. The pace at which the game is played the fluidity of the soccer skill on display which is such an essential and even crucial part of the game cries out against any such move. I think an example will suffice. Suppose match is on between Portugal and Brazil. Brazil are on attack. All defenders are in attacking positions. Suddenly ball is snatched from Kaka in what the referee thinks a fair challenge and the ball is lobbed to fast advancing Ronaldo. He just has one defenders to beat which in all probability he will do. Brazillian defence is caught. And they suddenly claim that challenge on Kaka was unfair and video referral should be called for. Now what will happen to Ronaldo and the advantage of position that he is in possession of. In such a situation eight out of ten times he will score. But in this situation he has not scored yet and his advantage will be lost. Is it a fair system? Games like football and hockey rely on the speed of counter attacks and this is the one aspect that is going to be severely compromised if any system like video referral in the manner we know is introduced in the game.
And I have one more reason for speaking against the video referral in the beautiful game. The injustices caused in the course of a game, the cheatings by players, the notion that some teams have been unfairly treated by the referee or that some players are habitual divers in the penalty area it all adds to the glamour of the game. Does it not give us some sort of perverse pleasure to see a player writhing on the turf at the slightest off the ball touch by a rival player just to get that player red carded and removed from the game? It is this coming to the fore of all that is base and ugly in us gives us a strange sort of satisfaction to know that the stars who are at such a height stars who are thorough professionals are after all just human beings. I would, for one not change it for anything.
